The puppet I bought from him is a rendition of Zhu Ba Jie, a character from the Chinese epic 'Journey to the West.' The amazing journey of the historical monk Hsuan Zhang, who traveled to India to study Buddhist scripture at the University of Nalanda, eventually took on legendary proportions. Hsuan Zhang made his journey in the 7th Century. By the 17th Century his story had been elaborated to include mythical beasts such as Sun Wu'Kung the monkey and Zhu Ba Jie the pig who acted as his bodyguards during his journey to India.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Pi ying xi (Shadow Puppets)
Year of the Pig
Roots of Christianity in China
During the great persecution by Emperor Wu-Tsung in 845, Christians buried this stone tablet to prevent it's destruction. It was not unearthed again until the 17th Century by peasants digging a foundation for a home. The find greatly aided the Jesuits who were trying to establish missions in China. The Emperor could not dismiss Christianity as a 'new religion' in China since the 1,000 year old tablet clearly stated otherwise.
Although the tablet specifies the arrival of Alopen in 635 A.D., we know that Nestorians were in China long before that. In 551 two Nestorian monks managed to smuggle silkworm eggs from China to Constantinople by hiding them in their hollow walking canes. This was the first time the West ever learned the science of silk production. The Chinese managed to keep the knowledge of sericulture a secret for over 2,000 years in order to maintain their monopoly on the highly valued material.
The tablet also attests to the religious syncretism that occured often along the Silk Road. At the top of the stone there is a depiction of two mythical creatures called 'Kumbhira' holding a pearl between them. This is Buddhist imagery mixed into a Christian stone stele. Also, Jesus was described by Chinese Nestorians as being a great master of the 'Dao.'
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Fishermen
Hen ke ai (very cute)
Fruits of the Silk Road
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Kai Xing!
Air Pollution
Tai Ji Chuan
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Northwest University
We came to Xi'an as participants in a recently established exchange program between the University of New Mexico and Northwest University. The trip was funded by a UNM Regent's scholarship as well as a Benjamin Gilman scholarship for the study of 'Critical Need Languages.' I will be studying Mandarin Chinese 4 hours a day, 5 days a week through Northwest's Chinese Language and Culture classes. I will also be doing independent research into Xi'an's diverse artistic and religious heritage. We intend to visit Hua Shan (one of Daoism's sacred mountains) as well as the Qingling Mountains to the south, which are home to the Giant Panda and the snub-nosed monkey.
Here Kalila and I are exploring the campus and trying to shake off the jet lag. This gazebo and courtyard are directly behind our dormitory. Northwest has a beautiful campus with many gardens and open areas. It is a much appreciated oasis of calm within the bustling city of Xi'an. The campus is located just outside the walls of the old city, perfectly located to explore the ancient cultural sights.
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